I like dogs too! i agree a big dog would make me feel safer and i'd totally get one if i ever had the chance to own a big house maybe with a garden. but right now what i can afford is renting a small apartment, and cats go really well with that
i don't know why but i feel like a dog would somehow require a bigger space while a cat could live well in the two room apartment with a balcony i can afford, but it might be totally senseless
unfortunately, i don't own cats either and i don't even understand how people who rent get cats. what if i leave a super energetic kitten alone for a couple hours and it destroys the sofa? who's gonna give me my deposit back
but i will surely adopt a cat when i finish studying and become financially independent! (if i ever do,, haha)